Supreme Court Confirms Lawal As Zamfara PDP Gov Candidate

The Supreme Court on Monday confirmed Dauda Lawal as the standard governorship flag-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State.

Naija News reports that the development is coming barely five days before the commencement of the state governorship elections scheduled for March 11 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state.

Earlier on January 6, 2023, the Court of Appeal in Sokoto set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court that nullified the primary election of Dauda Lawal-Dare as the governorship candidate of the PDP in Zamfara State.

The primary election was challenged at the Federal High Court in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, where a fresh primary election was ordered. The re-run was conducted on September 23rd, 2022, and again won by Lawal-Dare, but the same court also quashed the election for irregularities, this news platform understands.

The Appellants, Dauda Lawal-Dare, Adamu Maina-Waziri, the chairman PDP primary election committee and retired Col. Bala Mande, approached Appeal Court for redress.

Respondents in the suit were Dr Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau, Alhaji Wadatau Madawaki, Hafiz Nahuche, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, in a unanimous judgment read by Justice Abubakar Talba on behalf of others, Justice Talba said the Appellants have succeeded in proving all the seven grounds of appeals canvassed by the Counsels and all resolved in favour of the Appellants.

He thereby dismissed all the preliminary objections on the competency of the appeal suit based on judicial provisions and interest of fear hearing, arguing that technical defaults could not supersede judicial conditions.

According to the presiding Judge, the trial judge was wrong to discountenance the documents submitted from INEC, and the trial court did not stipulate the period of conducting the re-run election and notices of participation.

He said the trial judge had failed in his legal responsibilities in judicial considerations, giving parties fear of hearing and others.